Floating devices



Jan. 25, 1966 E. E. MEYERS FLOATING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 18, 1964 INVENTOR. AQL /l leveas BY M Q E. E. MEYERS FLOATING DEVICES Jan. 25, 1966 2 SheetsSheet Filed June 18, 1964 INVENTOR. A L 1E .MEYEQS United States Patent This invention relates in general to devices which may be floated in preselected areas of moving streams for unlimited periods of time.

It is the object of this invention to provide a Floating Device which will react to moving currents of water much like a kite reacts to moving currents of air.

It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable Floating Device of the type aforesaid which may be adjusted to perform like a kite in moving streams of water, and which may be floated in a preselected area notwithstanding the movement of the water.

It is the further object of this invention to provide a Floating Device which may be floated in a body of water at a predetermined distance away from a moving boat and which will retain substantially the same relative position with respect to the boat, notwithstanding the velocity of the boat with respect to the water.

With the above objects in view, and other objects which will become immediately apparent upon reading the specification, my invention resides in the novel form, construction, arrangement and combination of the parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 represents a perspective View of a preferred embodiment of my invention floating in a body of moving water in which the current is flowing in the direction of the arrow shown therein;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the manner in which the spring is connected to the float support arm and the positioner;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 77 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now in more detail and by reference character to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A designates a floating device comprising an arcuate member 20, a float support 22, which is pivotally mounted on the arcuate member 20, a cork float 24 mounted on the float support arm 22, and a positioner 26.

The arcuate member 20 is an enlarged buoyant element provided with inner and outer complementary curved faces 28, 30, respectively, which merge together at the forward end of the device A to form a leading edge 32 and which are separated at the opposite end by a trailing edge 34-. Intermediate the leading edge 32 and the trailing edge 34 and extending between the faces 28 and 29 is a pair or front to rear aligned slots 36, 33, respectively, and extending across the rearward portion of the slot 36 is a portion of an elongated pin 40.

Mounted in the slot 38 and held therein by a pair of spaced pins 42, 44 is a bracket 46 which project laterally outwardly from the member 20 and which is provided with an aperture 48. Pivotally attached to the bracket 46 through the aperture 48 is the float support arm 22 which extends forwardly toward the leading edge 32 and which comprises a main body portion 50 and an elongated tip portion 52. The tip portion 52 is provided adjacent its forwardmost end with a circumferential annular recess ice R, suitable for aflixing a fishing line with hook and sinker (all not shown). The float 24 is atfixed to the arm 22 to keep the arm 22 positioned at the surface of the water when the hook and sinker are attached, all for purposes presently more fully to appear. The size of the float 24 may vary depending upon the weight of the hook and sinker.

At the rearwardmost end, the float support arm 22 is provided with a pair of spaced metallic plates 54, 56 which are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the main body portion and which are adapted to accept a pin 58 which projects through the aperture 48 in the bracket 46 to form a metallic pivoting junction between the arcuate member 20 and the float support arm 22 in the manner best seen in FIGURE 6.

Centrally in the main body portion 50, the float support arm 22 is provided with a U-shaped brad 60 into which is inserted one end 62 of a spring 64, having a second end 66 connected to the positioner 26 through an aperture 68 as best seen in FIGURE 5.

Pivotally connected to the support arm 22 and projecting outwardly therefrom toward the arcuate member 20 is the positioner 26 comprising a pair of spaced metallic brackets 70, 72, which overlap the main body portion 50 of the arm 22 and which are pivotally secured thereto by means of a pin '74 which project through the brackets 70, 72 and the main body portion 50 as best seen in FIGURE 7. At their ends opposite the pin 74, the bracket 70, 72 are brazed or otherwise rigidly secured to an elongated arcuate metallic element 76 which extends from the brackets 72, 74 through the slot 36 and outwardly past the outer face 30 of the member 20, and which is further provided along its rearwardmost edge with a plurality of spaced notches 80 in the form of teeth asbest seen in FIGURE 4.

It should be here noted that the spring 64 present a continuous biasing force on the positioner 26, urging the teeth 80 against the pin 40 to keep the float support arm 22 and the arcuate member 20 in the same relative position with respect to each other.

It should be further noted that the slot 36 is sized sufficiently to permit the positioner 26 to be pivoted forwardly so that the teeth 80 may become disengaged from the pin 40 and that the arm 22 may be repositioned with respect to the arcuate member 20.

In use, a cord C is attached to the support arm 22, preferably though not necessarily through a hole 84 located near the juncture of the main body portion 50 and the tip portion 52. The relative speed of the water movement is judged and the arm 22 is positioned with respect to the arcuate member 20 by moving the teeth 80 of the positioner 26 into engagement with the pin 40 in the slot 36 to a selected position based upon the speed of the water movement. The device A is then let out into the stream, with the leading edge 32 of the member 20 and the tip portion 52 of the arm 22 presented to the direction and current flow. If the cord C is kept taut, the water will coact with the device A in such manner that the arm 22 and the arcuate member will point toward the direction of current flow. In such position, the arcuate member 20 will function in a manner similar to an aircraft wing and forces which oppose the inclination of the device A to drift downstream are set up against the outer face 30, which causes the device A to seek a position of equilibrium and remain stationary in the current. If the device A tends to drift slightly with the current, it is merely necessary to pull the device A back to the point of operation and adjust the position of the member 20 and the arm 22 through the positioner 26, keeping in mind that the faster the current flow, the less should be the angle formed between the arcuate member and the float support arm 22 at their pivotal point 48.

Although the present invention has been described for the condition where the floating device A is held in a moving stream by a person on a bank, it should be understood that the invention is also usable from a moving boat. However, in the case of a moving boat, the floating device A will not assume a fixed position in the water, but, on the contrary, will assume a fixed position with respect to the boat as the boat moves in the water.

It should be understood that changes in the combination, form, arrangement and construction of the parts herein described can be made and substituted for those herein shown without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is recited in the annexed claims.

In the claims I claim:

1. A floating device comprising an elongated member provided with a pair of elongated curved faces which merge at one end to define a leading edge, and which are separated at their .opposing ends by a trailing edge having substantial width, a float support arm pivotally attached to said member near the trailing edge and projecting forwardly outwardly therefrom, float means on said float support arm, said float support arm having a line securing eye between the float means and the member, and means for selectively positioning the float support arm with respect to said member.

2. A floating device comprising an elongated member provided with a pair of elongated curved faces which merge at one end to define a leading edge, and which are separated at their opposing ends by a trailing edge having substantial width, a float support arm pivotally attached to said member near the trailing edge and projecting forwardly outwardly therefrom, float means on said float support arm, said float support arm having a line securing eye between the float means and the member, means for attaching a weighted line to the outer end of the float support arm, and means for selectively positioning the float support arm with respect to said member.

3. A floating device comprising an elongated member including first and second curved faces which merge to define a leading edge at one end of said member and which are separated at the other end of said member by a trailing edge having substantial breadth, an elongated arm pivotally attached at one end to the member, said point of attachment on the member being near the trailing edge and the arm projecting forwardly outwardly therefrom toward the leading edge, a float secured to the arm near the free end thereof, a positioner pivotally attached to the arm between the pivoted end and the float, and means for selectively securing the positioner to the member at any preselected angle existing between the member and the arm.

4. A floating device comprising an elongated member including first and second curved faces which merge to define a leading edge at one end of said member and which are separated at the other end of said member by a trailing edge having substantial breadth, an elongated arm pivotally attached at one end to the member, said point of attachment on the member being near the trailing edge and the arm projecting forwardly outwardly therefrom toward the leading edge, a float secured to the arm near the free end thereof, a positioner pivotally attached to the arm between the pivoted end and the float, means for selectively securing the positioner to the member at any preselected angle existing between the member and the arm, and means for securing a line to the arm.

5. A floating device comprising an elongated member including first and second curved faces which merge to define a leading edge at one end of said member and which are separated at the other end of said member by a trailing edge having substantial breadth, an elongated arm pivotally attached at one end to the member, said point of attachment on the member being near the trailing edge and the arm projecting forwardly outwardly therefrom toward the leading edge, a float secured to the arm near the free end thereof, an elongated positioner pivotally attached to the arm and extending from the arm through an aperture in the member, a bar extending across said member, a plurality of teeth integrally included on said positioner and directed toward said bar, and biasing means for holding preselected teeth in engagement with said bar.

References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,449,910 3/1923 Oertz 43-9 1,466,601 8/ 1923 Sanders 43-4313 2,814,150 11/1957 Johnston 43 43.13

FOREIGN PATENTS 11,607 2/ 1903 Norway. 31,528 9/1911 Sweden.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

R. L. HOLLISTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FLOATING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF ELONGATED CURVED FACES WHICH MERGE AT ONE END TO DEFINE A LEADING EDGE, AND WHICH ARE SEPARATED AT THEIR OPPOSING ENDS BY A TRAILING EDGE HAVING SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH, A FLOAT SUPPORT ARM PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID MEMBER NEAR THE TRAILING EDGE AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, FLOAT MEANS ON SAID FLOAT SUPPORT ARM, SAID FLOAT SUPPORT ARM HAVING A LINE SECURING EYE BETWEEN THE FLOAT MEANS AND THE MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY POSITIONING THE FLOAT SUPPORT ARM WITH RESPECT TO SAID MEMBER. 